Vacuum closing machine



Jan. 22, 1935. H. L. GUENTHER 1,988,488

VACUUM GL'OSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 19:51 a Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

Eng/L. uer/fben I ATTORNEY Y Jan. 22, 1935. GUENTI-VIER v VACUUM CLOSINGmomma Filed Oct. 24, 193 1 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Hen/7L. 61/627179:BY 5 E ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1935. 8 H. GUENTHER 1,988,488

VACUUM CLOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1931 8 Sheets-Sht 3 J v //a v//4 fv M3 $7 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1935. H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM CLO'SING MACHINE 8Sfieets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 24,, 1951 III/III T Ill/IIIIl/II/II/II/IIII I[III/II/IIIIIII/A ATTORNEY 8 Sheet-Sheet 5 E 6 w 9 .Um w M w MW mm m 7 wv A fflr fl/ H 8 11 Y B Pic 6 Y M M d 6 a y L Jan. 22, 1935. I 1..GUENTHER 1,988,488

VACUUM CLOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

fiwryl. Guenf/Ier BY m ATTORNEY,

Jan. 22, 1935. H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM CLOSING MACHINE v 8 Sh eets-Sheet 7Filed Oct. 24, 1951 Jan. 22, 1935. v H. L. GUENTHER VACUUM CLOSINGMACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet '8 INVENTOR A TTORNE Ychines, and particularly erallyindicated in my co-peuding Patented lan.1935* PATENT OFFICE 1,988,488 vacuum caosfivo Macrame Henry L. Guenther,

Los Angeies, Calif.

annlicauoii 0mm 24, 1981, Serial No. 570,928

14 Claims. (oi. 113-82) relates to vacuum closingmapertains to means fordouble seaming sanitary cans in vacua, as genapplicationinvention SerialNo. 417,057, entitled Vacuum double seaming machine", filed by meDecember. 28, 1929. a

In the operation of double seaming machines for applying caps tosanitary cans it is often desirable to withdraw the air from the cans sothat the contents thereof may be sealed in vacua, and will thus bemaintained in a sterile condition. In machines of this type it isnecessary to provide means for introducing the cans and aftersuccessively sub! their caps into a vacuum chamber and to thereect thecansto-the action of first and second double seaming operations, which,in the present instance occur at separate seaming stations, and make itnecessary for the machine to be intermittent in its operation. Theseoperations necessitate the use of a rotary turret having complementarychucks between which the cans and caps may be positioned, and whichturrets must be set into motion after each period of rest as representedby a double seaming operation, and must be brought to rest again priorto each successive double seaming operation. In the structure which ishere shown the interval of movement represents a fraction of thecomplete rotation of the turret, making it necessary to accelerate anddecelerate the movement of the turret rapidly. This has a tendency toplace enormous objectionable strain upon the parts of the machinery andat the same time tends to impart violent'motion to the contents oi-thecan, often resulting in an obiectionable spilling, and in addition tothe provision of numerous novel features or construction in a vacuumdouble seaming niachineitis a principal object of. the present inventionto move the unsealed and sealed cans through the machine with a mini-,mum amount of violent action and disturbance to the contents of thecans, and at the same time bring about an acceleration and decelerationof the moving parts which will permit. the parts to. readily move duringthe acceleration period and to be, cushioned against movement during thedeceleration period of their cycle of operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novelmechanical movement ,whereby intermittent driving operation may be obtained by. utilizing a differential Geneva movement, which makesitpossible to accelerate or decelerate the driven member of themovement. toany desired degree of speed within the limits .ing the cansint plan showing the of the device, and at any point, or for any timeinterval during the intermittent operation.

The present invention broadly contemplates the provision of doubleseaming stations enclosed within a vacuum chamber, and to which chambercans are delivered by novel feeding means and thereafter moved frompoint to point within the container upon a rotary turret, the turret andkindred parts. being intermittently operated by a differential Genevamovement andthe' action or the turret being provided with damping meansoperating during the deceleration period only.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:-

' Figure 1 is a view in plan showing the form oi the present inventionwith a part of the structure removed to more clearly disclose the pathof travel of thecans.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation showin the complete machine with thecover plates removed to disclose the two seaming stations and theirrelationship to the turret.

Fig. -3 is a view in vertical section and side' elevation showingelements of the machine. r

Fig. 4 is a view in horizonal section through the machine as seen on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3,

the co-relation oi! the drivin and disclosing the diflerential Genevamoves ment and the damping mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in plan showing the differential Genevamovement with the parts in their position at a point midway the invertical section through the damping mechanism as seen on the line'l----'! of 4. I Fig. Bis 'an enlarged fragmentary view in plan showingthe star wheel for separately feedarrangement of the feed floor.

Fig. 9 is a viewin vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 showingthe variation in the thickness of the feed ,fioor at the point of entryof the can to the vacuum chamber and the point of exit therefrom. I

vidual can pocketsare drained in the event that o the vacuum chamber andthe they may contain an accumulated amount of moisture. I

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view in vertical section 33 and 34 which areparallel to-each other and through one of the can pockets as seen on theline 11-11 of Fig. 10.

star wheel and one of the drain on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a view in diagram showing the developed length of the camtrack 183 indicating the chuck elevating mechanism at the variousstations therealong.

Fig. 14 is a view in plan showing the manner of obtaining an oil sealbetween the turret, and its plate.

Fig. 15 is .a diagrammatic view showing :the vacuum manifold and itsoif-takes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 10 generally indicates a cantiming mechanismwhich delivers cans in spaced sequence to a positivefeed device 11 which device in turn delivers cans to a feed plungermechanism 12 by which they are directly deposited in the pockets of afeed star wheel 14 and led into the housing of vacuum chamber 15 to beengaged and carried by a feed turret 16 to successive first and secondseaming stations 17 and 18.

The timing mechanism is of the general construction shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings,'and

includes a horizontally disposed disc 19 mounted. upon a vertical shaft20, upon which shaft is'afeed cam 21 having a plurality of recesses 22along the edge thereof. for engaging the circumferential face 'of a can23 and causing the can to roll along the yieldabl'effeed fingers 24until it rests within a recess 22 and is thus'separated from a. flow ofcans and is equally'spaced with relation to a preceding can. 7

A can feed star wheel 25 is mounted to overhand' the disc 19 and iscarried on shaft 25'.

This wheel has a plurality of fingers 26by which the spaced cans areengaged and fed at a gradually accelerated speed along the arcuate guiderails 27 and 28, and-onto the horizontally moving conveyor chain 29,which forms a part of the can feed mechanism 11. The conveyor chainmoves along between parallel fioor plates 30 and 31, and is fitted withupstanding flights 32 which will engage acan delivered on the chainandpositively carry it forwardly into the machine.

The arcu'ate rails 27 and 28 continue in lengths parallel to thetravelof the can. At the forward end of these rails they are curved toformarcuate portions35 and 36 which cause the can to pursue apath' oftravel substantially radial to the axis of the timing shaft 37 uponwhich the star wheel 14 is mounted. The star wheel 14 is formed with aplurality of pockets here shown as four innumber, each representingsubs'tantially half of a circle and into which pockets a i can may move.By reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings-it will be seen that thesepockets are inclined to'the vertical and to their vertical axes. In thatview the' pocket is indicated at 39 and has parallel inclined sides 40and 41. The

the side 41 is in the rear of ,this side being backed off 'tiallytangent to the side 40.is in advance of the angles tothat Fig. 12 is aview'in vertical section through the pockets as seen inder and throughthe openings.

. mounted within each ofthe cylinders 67.13 a canof reciprocal moveinentand a shoulder 46 which is at right path. The pad is carried upon or thepusher,

a pusher rod guide bearing 48. The means for operating the same will behereinafter described.

' As the star wheel 14 rotates with the can jdeliver d by the pusher itwill travel over an arcu- 47 and reciprocably mounted ina ate 'fioorsection 49. This section is indicated in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, inclusive.After a can'has been carried through the machine it is again deliveredto the star wheel vl4 upon the opposite "side from its, point of entry,and passes outward, -ly over an arcuate floor plate 50 disposed upondiametrically opposite sides of the axis of the star wheel. r

For reasons to be hereinafter set forth, the vertical thickness of theplate 49 is substantially twice that of the thickness of the plate 50. I

As previously stated, the star wheel-14 is placed Y to serve the dim 1epurpose of a.feed gate into the vacuum chamber 51 enclosed by thehousing 15, and out-of t vacuumchamber after the double seamingoperation has been completed. The vacuum chamber housing includes avertical rear wall 52-"directly in,frontof the-star wheel 14, aremovable front wall or door 53 parallel to the rear wall,side walls54.and 55, a top 56'andafioor 57. The. impo ance in the presentinstancein that it is formed with a plurality of openings'here shown asfour in number. -.One of these openings indiecated' at 58 provides a canmay be introduced into the machine. An- .other opening 59 provides apassageway through which the can may. be partially elevated and disposedinoperative relation to the seaming mechanism ofthe first seaming head.17. .An adjacent opening 60 provides a passageway-through which the canmay be properly elevated into operative relation to the second-seaminghead, and the final opening,61 provides apessagewaythrough which the canmay be ejected from the turret and subsequently removed from themachine.

The openings 58 the floor are on the outside of the vacuum chamber. Theopenings'59 and 60 are within the vacuum chamber.

Disposed. beneath fioor 57 is of materialand 61 which occurthrough apassageway through which the floor 57 and having. a fiat face providedwith'a running fit thereagainst is a turret sealing plate 62 which isformed with a series ofopenings adapted to successively register withthe four openings previously described.

as being formed through the fioor 57. In the present instancethe variousopenings have been sospacedasto-make it possible for seven-turretopenings to be, formed and to properly register with the openings in thefloor intermittently rotated during its operation.

The'turret openings indicated at 63 are eachformed with a circumscribingcylindrical flange 64, shown particularly in Figs; 11 and 12. Thisfiange is counterbored along its outer face'as indicated at 65, and-receivesfthe circular lip 66 of a vacuum cylinder 67 which is securedto the ,openings.63 and the internal diameter of the cy1-v a fiangeBqiby cap screws 68. The diameter of the.

inders 67' are equal and of sufficient size to permit the can 23 tofreely pass inand out of the cyl- Reciprocably as the turret is chuckplate 69 carried at the upper end of a chuck spindle 70. This spindlevertically recipthe lower end of the cylinder 67 and held in position bya packing'nut 72. The chucksand their rocates through afpacking gland 71provided at the bell 89. This spindles are designed to have a sequenceof operation which will be hereinafter described.

a The turret sealing plate 62 is secured to a hub 73 mounted upon avertical shaft '14 and adapted to rotate therewith. The turret sealingplate 62 held in intimate contact with the lower face of the floor 5'7so that there will not be an opportunity for the vacuum to be brokenwithin a vacuum cylinder 6'? after the openings 63 in the turret and thevarious openings such as 58 in the floor are out of register.

Each of the vacuum cylinders 67 is formed at its lower end with a drainduct '15 to which the body 76 of a drain valve '17 is secured and bywhich the particular cylinder may be drained of accumulated moisture.Mounted within the valve structure is a rotating valve member '18 of thespigot type having a tapered face fitting against a tapered seat andbeing held in position by an expansion screw 79. Valve rotating means 80are provided at the lower end of each of the valves. This means includesa pair of pins 81 disposed at right angles to each other and extendingradially from the axis of the valve. These pins successively strike atrip pin 82 adjustably held in a bearing 83 by a set screw 84. There aretwo of these pins as indicated in Fig. 10; pin 82 acting to open thevalve and pin 82' acting to close it after the draining operation hasbeen completed.

The seaming head structures at the two seaming stations 1'1 and 18 aresubstantially identical save for thefact that the seaming rolls in thefirst station make the initial curl of the seam and the seaming rolls atthe second station finish the curl and close the seam.

The seaming heads are of the general type shown in my Patent No.1,787,369, issued Decem ber 30, 1930 and entitled "Double seamingmachine. This head structure generally includes a spindle 85 extendingvertically through spaced bearings 86 and 8'1, at the lower end of whicha centering chuck plate 88 is secured and is intended to seat within therecess of the cap of a can. This chuck plate is positioned within acentering bell 89 and aroundwhich bell a plurality of seaming rollers 90are arranged and mounted upon pivoted levers 91 swinging on horizontalpivot pins 92 so that the rollers may. be swung toward and away from theedge of the can. The upper ends of these levers carry cam rollers 93which seat within the groove of a face cam 94. The face cam 94 ismovable in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The bell structure upon hich the levers 91 are pivoted is supported upona sleeve 95 which extends upwardly through the bearings 86 and 87 andtelescopes over the spindle 85. The sleeve is fitted with a gear pinion96 in mesh with a drivinggear 97 driven in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed. Telescoping over the sleeve is a cam sleeve 98 carryins thecam 94 which cam is driven thereby at a diiferent speed from that ofdrive is produced by a pinion 99 mounted upon the sleeve 98 and in meshwith a gear 100. These gears are secured upon a vertical shaft 101extending upwardly through a bearing 102 and fitted at its upper endwith a pinion 103.- Pinion 103 is beveled and meshes with a beveldriving gear 104. This gear is mounted upon a horizontally extendingjack shaft 105 disposed in bearings 106 and 107 at the top of themachine.

A clutch structure 108 upon the jack shaft provides e driving connectionwith a pulley 109 which is normally freely rotated upon the shaft 105.Disposed parallel to the shaft 105 and supported thereabove in bearings110 and 111 is a manually operated shaft 112 carrying a hand wheel 113.This shaft is fitted witha pinion 114 normally out of mesh witha gear115 and held in this position by a lock pawl 116 which engages ashoulder 117 on the shaft 112. When the pawl-is moved to anon-obstructing position the shaft 112 may be shifted longitudinally tobring the pinion 114 and the gear 115 into mesh and to make it possiblefor the operator to turn the jack shaft 105 and thus manipulate theentire mechanism for adjustment and repairs without power operation.

It is undtrstood that while one of the double seaming heads and itsdriving mechanism has been described that the reference applies equallyto both heads, since their construction and operation is substantiallyidentical. Attention is directed however, to one apparent difference,and

that is that the levers 91 of the seaming head at station 18 are longerthan the levers shown at the first station. greater'purchase upon therollers and to thus iricrease the pressure of the final rollingoperation.

The machine is fitted with a main vertical driving shaft 118 which isprovided with a bevel gear 119 at its upper. end. This gear being inmesh with a bevel pinion 120 mounted upon the jack shaft 105. Thevertical shaft 118v is mounted in bearings 121 and 122 and 123. Upon thelower end of the shaft 118 and here shown as beneath the base 124 is agear 125 in mesh with agear 126 carried upon a stubshaft 127. Thisgear-is in mesh with first and ,second seaming operation gears 128 and129 respectively. Disposed adjacent the drive shaft 118 is a detainercam shaft 130 which is provided with a gear 131' in mesh with a gear132' upon the vertical drive shaft 118. The lower end of the cam shaft130 carries the driver 131 of a Geneva motion gear set and which isdesigned to intermittently operate a driven element 132, the structurebeing particularly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Attention isparticularly directed to this Geneva gear set since by its use numerouspeculiar advantages of considerable value in the present machine areobtained, and a great many variable intermittent motions may be producedin machines of any type. In intermittently operating machinery it isnecessary to set a mass into motion and to thereafter bring it to rest,the period of movement being definite and usually causing the machine tostart and stop with a jerk imparting undesirable strain and wear to allof the parts. In the usual type of Geneva motionthe periods ofacceleration and deceleration are non-variably fixed. With the structurehere disclosed the driving speed imparted to thedriven element 132 maybe varied at any point during the driving operation and may bepositively established so that varying speed ratios within the limits ofthe machine may be rapidly and accurately obtained.

The driver in the present instant includes the cam disc 133secured tothe shaft 130 and which is characterized by having diametrically opposedarcuate cut away portions 133' in the opposite around which they rotate.The rollers extend in- This being provided to obtain a I to a cam grooveof a detainer arm cam 137.

The cam groove 138 in the cam 137 may be of any desired configuration inthe plane of the travel of the rollers so that as the rollers travelalong it the detainer arm 134 may be shifted transversally of the axisof the shaft 130. The cam 137 with its groove 138 does not completelyclrcumscribe the shaft 130, but is cut away on one side to accommodatethe driven cam 132 so that from the end of the cam 139 to the end 140 ofthe cam groove 138 a roller 135 or 136 may travel in radial groove 141of the driven cam 132. This driven cam is mounted upon a vertical shaft142 which will hereinafterbe described.

During the course of travel of the roller 135 or 136 which may at themoment be in engagement with the radial slot 141 of the cam 132 theother roller of the set mounted upon the driven am 134 will be travelingalong the cam groove 138.

If the cam groove describes a path along variable radii with relation tothe shaft 130. As for example, the roller 135, shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings will 'cause the roller136 to pursue a path along radii varyingin lengths of inverse ratio to that of the radii of the 135 is moving.It will, therefore, be seen that in the present instance. while theperiod of intermitten't motion is represented by a half turn of theshaft 130 and the arcuate length of the intermittent rotation of theshaft 142 is herethe driven cam 132 may be speeds during its period oflimits of the possible shown as being 90, impelled at varying movementand within the variation in the lengths of the radial arms formedbythedetainer arm 134 as thisarm may shift transversally of the rotat'axis of the shaft 130. In the present design the. cam groove 138 islaid out so that as a detainer radial slot 141 in the driven cam 132 itwill immediately pursue a course along a progressively shortened radiiby gradual acceleration of the driven mass, after which it will assume apath of travel along itsnormal concentric are at a relatively higherspeed. It v arrangement the driving. speed may be progressivelydecreased at the but in the present case other novel means are providedfor damping the momentum of the mass and decelerating it as it comes-torest.

The shaft 142 extends upwardly from a lower with a turret gear 146. Theturret gear is formed around thecircumferential edge of the turretsealing plate 62, which moves beneath the floor 57 of the vacuumchamber.-

Means have previously been described for progressively accelerating thedriven mass'of the machine, and means will now be described forprogressively decelerating the mass which inthis structure isparticularly shown in Figs. 4- and- 7 of the drawings,- where it will beseen that-the turret gear 146 is in mesh with a connectingrod gear 147.This pinion is keyed upona vertical shaft 148 which isrotatably'supported in shearing 149. The lower end of this shaft carriesa lever 150 secured to a connecting rod 151'. This rod extendshorizontally through the side wall of the base of the machine andconnects at its outer end with a piston 153." The piston is reciprocablymounted within a cylinder 154-and is provided at its outer end with acheck valve structure 155. This structure includes a poppet valve 156adapted to close under compression within the cylinder path along whichthe roller armroller enters the.

is also evident by such an end of the driving'period,

and to be yieldably heldupon a tapered scat157 spring 158 disposedaround the by a compression valve stem 159 and 160 and a nut 161.

interposed between its cage The piston is suitably packed so that whenit is drawn inwardly suction would be created within the cylinder 154 toopen the valve 156 and so that when his forced outwardly the valve willclose 'wardly through a opening 162 is relatively small in, area as.compared with that of the opening in the valve seat 57 so that on thestroke of the piston 153v away from the cylinder head, this opening willnot providesumcient 'air to permit the piston 153 to move withoutdrawing the valve 156 away from its seat,.and will on the other handprovide sum'cient.

relief on the opposite stroke of the piston to permit the piston togradually move to its outer position as checked by the retarded exhaustof air. The gear ratio existing between the turret gear 146 and theconnecting rod gear 147 is such as to cause a complete revolution of theconnecting rod gear 147 during each interval of intermittent operationof the machine. The crank 150 is so set as to insure that during theinitial stage of operation of the machine, as brought about by theGeneva motion previously described. the piston will be on suction strokeand thus ofl'ering negligible resistance to the motion of the mass. andon compression stroke at the conclusion of the operation to cushion anddecelerate the'motion of the mass without causing the strainof a suddenstop to be imposed upon the driving gears alone. Between intervals ofintermittent operation the turret 146 is brought to rest w'ith certain.of the openings 63 in register with the openings 58, 59. 60 and 61 inthe for simultaneous movement of four cams to move at once through'thevarious registering openings and in" a manner to be hereinafterdescribed.

The cam feed star wheel 14 by which the cans are introduced into themachine and removed therefrom is driven from the shaft 142 by a gear 163in mesh with a gear164 upon the shaft 37 which shaft carries the starwheel 14. This wheel will therefore be intermittently operated insynchronism with the rest of the driving mechanism. Disposed above thestar wheel 14 and over the opening 58 in the floor is a pusher disc 165which acts to. follow the can down the pocket of the star wheelandthrough the opening 63 into the vacuum cylinder 67 therebeneath. Thisdisc'is mounted upon a reciprocating stem 166 secured within a bearing167 and fitted at its upper end with a pivotalconnection 168. Rockerlever 169 is secured to the pivot 168 and mounted upon a fulcrum pin170. The opposite end of the lever indicated at 171 is provided with aroller 172 extending into a groove 173 of a barrel cam 174. This cam isfixed upon and rotates with the vertical driving-shaft 119. The sprocketchain 29.15 driven from the shaft 118by a beveled pinion 175 meshingwith a shaft 177 and which carries a sprocket 178. The chain passesaround this sprocket and over suitable sprockets at the opp site ends ofits horizontal run. one of which'is indicated at 179.

The cans 23 follow a circular path of travel around the axis of theturret sealing plate 62 and the shaft 180 upon which it is mounted.During this course of travel the can moves from the inlet opening 58vertically into with and onto time the can is in the floor 57 where itis dropped the cylinder 67 in register therepermitting the air to passoutrelief opening 162. The relief floor 57, thus making it possiblecomplementary gear 176 upon a position to receive the can, and lower itto a point where itsupper edge will be below the plane of vthe upper Ycan will move beneath the floor within the sealed vacuum cylinder 6'1until the cylinder registers with theopening 59. The can is thenraisedat the seaming station 17 andther'i lowered to pass beneath the floor 57to the second seaming station- 18 where it is again raised for a seamingoperation. The can is then lowered. and the turret moved'with the canbeneath the floor. until it registers with the opening 61 in the floorwhere it is elevated its full height and introduced into a pocket ofthe-star wheel 14 to be carried from the machine betweenthe guide tracks181 and 182. It is necessary, therefore, to provide means for loweringthe can at the various desiredpoints in its intermittent path of traveland'for raising vertical spurs 185 seaming station as B,-

engages a cam the can at these points. This mechanism includes arcuatecam track 183 along which rollers 184 may travel in a circular'traek. Asparticu-" larly shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings, this track isinterrupted at seaming stations 1'? and 18 by and 186 respectively, andat the inlet opening 58 is formed with a'vei'tical portion of greaterlength" than the height of a can indicated at 187. The track 183 thencontinues at an elevated plane as indicated at 183' and drops to thelevel of the track portion 183 along a vertical portion 188 at theoutlet opening 61 For convenience -in reference the station of the inletopening is here indicated "asA; the first v the second seaming stationas C and the outlet station as D. v

when the rollers 184 of the spindles are in register with the spurs 185and 186 in the can groove 183 a cross-head'189"engages them and moves.them simultaneously vertically. This cross-head is operated by a simplelever 190 mounted upon a fulcrum pin 191.

The lever 190 carries acam roller 192 which groove 193 in a drum cam194, and by which the cross-head 189 is vertically shifted. This. camis-mounted upon a'cam shaft 195 driven from the gear 126 through a gear128. mounted on the shaft.

At the stations A and D, which are'represented by the spurs 187 and 188,the chucks of the re gistering vacuum cylinders move, alternately. Thatcan be understood when it is remembered that at station A a can islowered into a vacuum cylinder and simultaneously at station D a can issupp rted upon a.

is elevated and ejected therefrom. This operation is accomplished by anoscillating cross-head of -the simple lever order indicated at 197 andwhich is mounted upon a pivot 198 intermediate its ends. This lever isoscillated by a cam-lever 199 mounted upon a pivot 200, and having alever projection carrying a roller 201. This roller enga es a groove ina barrel cam 202 mounted on a shaft 118 of the'machine. Lower chuckspin-'- dles '70. extend downwardly through bearings 203 carried upon alower turret disc 204. This disc turret shaft 180. which shaft thrustbearing 204' carried by a bracket 205. A sleeve 206 is mounted upon theshaft and is formed with a plurality of longitudinal grooves 207 whichreceive guide fingers 208 projecting radially from the chuck spindles'10 and from their bearings 209 which extend through the spindles. Theouter: ends of the 136811118 rryth 208 hold the chuck spindles ismounted upon the against rotatior and faced the turret, after which thetarding finger 24 and tion, thus moving ticularly shown rollers 184- andthe fingers cause the rollers in proper register with the cam'groo've's.

In operation of delivered to the 110w and are there encountered byyieldable recam 21. The cans will begradually separated to' enter themachine in successive spaced relationto each other and will thereafterbepositively fed at an accelerating speed by'the'fingers- 26. The canswill then pass onto the floor 31-where they will be engaged by flights32 of thechain 29 and will be carried forwardly in'space'drelation toeach other between the guide rails 83, and 34. As

a can reaches the arcuatetrack portions-35 and the presentln'ventiomcans are feed table 19 in a continuous .the timing star wheelor;

86 the pusher 44 will engage the can and-shift it from the end of thetrackway into register with the pocket 39 on the star'wheel 14.

Attention is directed to the vfact that the delivery of the cans to themachine here described, the caps have been placed upon the cans and havebeen temporarily clinched into -posi-' tion. The uncurled cap willtherefore have .a greater diameter than the completely seamed cap whichis mounted'on the bottom of the-can thus it has been necessary to placethe pockets 29 obprior to liquely with relation to the vertical so thatthere r will beiclearance for the upper end of the can as itis feddownwardly through vacuumcylinder 87 as indicated phrticularly inFig.12.' when the'caniis star wheel '14. rotates one-quarter of itsrevoluin Fig. 13 of the drawings. As the can approaches moved intb thepocket-39 the the table into a the can to station A indicated.

this" station 'it will move over a=relatively thick floor plate 49 andwilldrop approximately 1 through an opening 58 inthe floor 5'! torestupon the lower chuck-plate 69. wheel 14 will come to rest and the canwill slide downwardly from itspecket a9 and will belowered into thevacuum cylinder67 as supported upon chuck plate 69'and as lowered by thechuck spindle '10. This lowering about by oscillation of the cross-headlever 19'! in a manner previously described. When the can At thistimethestar.

operation is brought has moved to its lowermost position its top will bebelow the level of rhe floor 57,. v The turret 16 carset in motion bythe Geneva gear structure, parin Figs. 4,5, and 6 ofthe drawthe specialdesign of this gearings, and due to will be gradually overing'theinertia of the mass its increment of movement. half of its movement theturret willact .to draw the piston 153 outwardly from thecushioncylinder 154 and during the second half of the move- .153 will be forcedinwardlyagains't compression of the fluid within the cylinder and the.controlled exhaust therefrom. The effective action of the cushioninstructure which includes cylinder 154, may the exhaust port area, I oftravel of the turret as controlled by the Geneva gearing, may bedefinitely establishedbyan interchange of cams 13'1 having grooves138.01 different configurations.

come until the can has moved substantially half of this am 55 Aspreviously explained in the present'case, 7o

therefore be necessary for ove-in increments of ll'lth of itscircumference.-

be varied-by varying and variation in the rate.

turret sealing plate .rying the various vacuum cylinders will then be Itravel at a higher their forward and .and appropriately adjusting the224 and 225 6 62 is formed with an annular oil groove 215 with which aplurality of lateral grooves 216 communicate. These grooves extendinwardly across the face of theplate between the openings for thecan'pockets and at an angle to the radius of the plate. 'The' groovesare pitched to cause outer ends to move in advance of the remainder ofthe grooves, thus tending to draw oil from the annular groove 215 andthroughout the length of the lateral grooves 216. In this manner a filmof oil will be formed entirely 'across the surface of the plate and willprevent unequal wear between the sealing surfaces which might otherwisebe occasioned due to the fact that the circumference of the plate willlineal rate of speed than the center area. This .insures that. therewill be an hermetic seal at all times, around the pockets into which thecans are acted upon by vacuum.

Attentionis also directed to the fact that the present machine may bereadily adapted for use of cans of different heights. This adjustment isafforded by set screws 219 which are carried in bosses of the track 183and act upon the guide rods 220, as particularly shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. It is also provided that the operating mechanisms for causingreciprocation of the cans may be adjusted as particularly shown in Fig.13 of the dra where it will be seen that the walking beam 21 is fittedat its opposite end with adjustable nuts '222 and 223 which carrya'djusting links 224and 225. These links articulately connect at 226with the chuck spindles 70 so that by moving the nuts222 and 223inwardly turnbuckle links the position of the lower chuck discs 69 maybe varied as well as'the stroke of the pistons. a I

The first move of the can after leaving station will be beneath thetable where vacuum begins form. The second move will bring it to sta- Ato ' tion B, which is the first seaming operation station. Here the can'will be elevatedby the crosshead 189 and the kindred mechanism to placethe can and cap in seaming relation to the head of the seaming. unit 17.After a seaming operation has been completed, the can is again loweredand moves beneath the table. to an intermediate position betweenstations Band C, still connected with vacuum in chamber by means ofduct6, and when. again moved, moves into register with an opening 58 in thefloor 57 -.so that it may be lifted to the seaming head of the secondseaming unit 18.

the time the can is within the pocket and the vacuum cylinder 67 isclosed beneath the table 57, a condition of partial vacuum is createdwithin the vacuum cylinder tending to evacuate the can-as far as air andother gases are con--- cemed.' Such periods of evacuationtake placebetween stations A and B and also between'stations B and C. The generalarrangement of the vacuum pump and the suction lines is indicated inFig. 15 of the drawings, where it will be seen that a vacuum pump 210 isprovided and connects with a manifold 211 which in turn communicateswith the vacuum cylinder 67 through suction-lines 212 and 213. After thecompletely sealed can is lowered into its vacuum cylinder 67 at. thesecond seaming station 0 it is moved around to the final station D whereit is to be ejected from the machine. During this period of travel thereis no vacuum action upon the cylinder, and it, may be necesl'ary todrain the'cylinder to remove extraneous moisture. This is accomplishedby causing the drain valve structure .77 to pass pin 82 at which timethe valve will be opened to permit moisture to drain from the cylinder67. When the cylinder with its valve moves onwardly toward the starwheel 14 it will rotates and closes the encounter pin 82' which valve.

When the cylinder with the can reaches the final station D it will belifted from the vacuum cylinder by the lower chuck '69 and will becarried up onto the relatively thin floor plate 50 as the star wheelmoves and may'thereafter be carried away from the machine by anysuitable method.

It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosed provides a vacuumdouble seaming closing machine of novel design, and which thoughintermittent in operation may move rapidly to accommodate a relativelylarge flow of cans and will perform its various operations upon themwith a minimum amount of wear and tear upon the machine, and in asubstantially novel and Winn-- tionless manner.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes may be made incombination, construction, and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patentis:- 1. A machine for double seaming cans in vacua whichcomprises a first seaming station, a second seaming station, a vacuumcompartment enclosing said stations the floor of which compartment isformed at each station with an opening through which a. can my belifted, a rotary turret moving beneath said floor and having a sealingplate in contact-therewith, said turret being formed with a plurality ofcan pockets rigidly carried by the turret and having openings throughthe sealing plate which will be successively brought to register withthe openings in the bottom of the comp'artment, means in the variouspockets forreceiving a. can and for raising or lowering it with relationto the pocket, and synchronous driving means whereby the turret may beregistered and the cans will be raised and lowered with relation to theseaming stations and the successive seaming operations there performedin vacua.

2. A machine for double seaming cans in vacua which comprises a firstseaming station, a second seaming station, avacuum compartment enclosingsaid stations the floor of which compartment is formed at each stationwith an opening through which a can may be lifted, a rotary turretmoving beneath said floor and having a sealing plate in contacttherewith, said turret being formed with a plurality of can pocketsrigidly carried by the turret and havingopenings through the sealingplate which will be successively brought to register with the openingsin the bottom of the compartment, means in the various pockets forreceiving a can and for raising or lowering it with relationto thepocket, and synchronous driving means whereby the turret may beregistered and the cans will be raised and lowered with relation to theseaming stations and the successive seaming operations there performedmeans disposed exterior-1y of the vacuum compartment to'feed canssuccessively to the pockets of'the turret after. which they will belowered beneath this floor to the first seaming station.

in vacua, and

, seaming station, a vacuum compartment enclosing in each pocket to andthe cam track whereby the spindles will be reciprocated at points drainvalves one for each means whereby the valves opened as the respectivepockets conclude a cycle of operation and successively closed as thepockets ing said stations the floor of which compartment is formed ateach station with an opening through which a can may be lifted, a rotaryturret moving beneath" said floor and having a sealing plate in contacttherewith, said turret being formed with a plurality of can havingopenings will be successively openings in the bottom of pockets by theturret and through the sealing plate which the compartment,

'means in the various pockets for receiving a can it with relation tothe wherebyand for raising or lowering pocket, and synchronous drivingmeans the turret may be registered and the cans will be raised andlowered with relation to the seaming stations and the successive seamingoperations there performed in vacua, said synchronous driving meansincluding a variable mechanical movement whereby the turret will beintermittently moved to place its pockets in successive register withthe seaming stations and will. move at a predetermined variable rate ofspeed.

which cans have a cap temporarily clamped upon them and which machineincludes a floor over which cans move, means for feeding a can to anopening in, the floor, means by which the can is lowered through theopening, a star wheel having arcuate pockets to receive the cans andmove them into register with said openings, said pockets being disposedat an inclination to the vertical whereby clearance will be-'..-provided for the enlarged end of the can carrying the clamped capas the star wheel moves to register with said opening.

5. In a machine of the class described including a conveyor havingpockets into which cans may be fed, the lower ends of which pockets areclosed, of said pockets, means carrying the can within a pocket to andaway from a vacuum station in a cycle of operation and will besuccessively begin a new cycle of operation.

s. In a machine of the class a plurality of can pockets, the lower endsof which. are closed, a plurality of drain valves one for each pocket, alower chuck plate vertically reciprocatreceive a can and lower it intothe pocket and thereafter to lift the can so that it may be ejected fromthe pocket, and trip means acting to open the valve of a pocket at theapproximate time the can is ejected therefrom and to close the valve ofsaid pocket at the approximate time a can is lowered thereinto.

'i.- In a machine of the class described, a rotary turret formed with aplurality of can-pockets therein and spaced circumferentially thereof,chuck plates within each pocket, a chuck spindle extending downwardly.from each of the pockets for carrying a chuck plate mounted within apocket, cam tracks extending along the path of travel of the turret andsaid chuck spindles, means operatively connecting said chuck spindlesi1. their travel, and means for setting the cam tracks so that thestroke of movement of the chuck spindles may be adjustablyset.

8. In a machine of the class described, a rotary turret formed with aplurality of can pockets therein and spaced circumferentially thereof,

brought to register with the 4. In a machine for operating on sanitarycans.

described, comprising a horizontally rotating turret formed with chuckplates within pocket, a chuck spindle extending downwardly from each ofthe pockets for carrying a chuck'plate mounted within a pocket, camtracks extending along the path of reciprocated at points in theirtravel, means for setting the cam track so that the stroke of movementof the chuck spindles may beadiustably set, and positive acting means topositively move the spindles with relation to the, cam track at certainpoints in their travel.

9. In a machine of theclass described, a rotary turret formed with a.plurality of can pockets therein and spaced chuck plates within eachpocket, a chuck spindle extending downwardly from each of the pocketsfor carrying a chuck plate mounted withina pocket, cam tracks extendingalong the path of travel of the turret and said chuck spindles, meansoperatively connecting said chuck spindles and the cam track whereby thespindles will be reciprocated-at points in their travel, means forsetting the cam track so that the stroke of movement of the chuckspindles may be acfiustably set, positive acting means to positivelymove the spindles with relation to the cam track at certain points intheir travel, and means for adjusting said positive operating means tocompensate for variations in adjustment of the cam track.

10. In a vacuum machine, a vacuumcompartment, means connectedtherewith'ior evacuatturret plate. and the contacting face of thecompartment whereby an tinuously created. I

. ii. In a vacuum machine, a vacuum compartment, means connected thesame, said compartment being formed with an hermetic seal will beconcircumferentially thereof, 1

associated therewith and, communicating with the therewith forevacuating opening, a turret plate rotating on an axis and in racialcontact with the wall through which the opening is formed and having anopening adapted.

to be brought to register therewith, a can receiving member carried bythe turret plate and communicating with the opening in said turret platewhereby a condition of vacuum will be created within the can receivingmember when the openings in the turrret plate and the compartment wallare in register, and means for creating a uniform film of oil betweentheface of the turret plate and the contacting face of the compartmentwhereby an hermetic seal will be continuously created, said meanscomprising groove formed upon the contacting face of the turret plateadjacent its circumferential edge, and a plurality of lateral groovesformed upon the contacting face of the turret plate and extendingdiagonally across the diameter of the plate at anangle counter to thedirection of movement of the:

plate.

12. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuum which comprises a vacuumchamber havingan opening in the floor thereof through which a can may beprojected, a can unit housed within said vacuum chamber, a turretrotatable beneath said vacuum ehamberandhavins an W acircularoil tightseal with the chamber and with openings through said turret face toregister consecutively with the opening in the floor of the vacuumchamber, said turret being formed with can pocketsone associated withthe turret at each of said openings to receive a can to be seamed withinthe vacuum chamber and means within said pockets for successivelyraising and lowering a can through the opening in the pocket and theopening in the vacuum compartment when said openings are brought toregister. I

13. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuum which comprises a vacuumchamber, a floor for said chamber having a can opening therethrough, aseaming head above said opening, a turret moving below said floor andhaving an upper wall in surface contact with the floor of the vacuumchamber, said turret being formed with a plurality of can receivingmembers adapted to successively register with the opening through thefloor 01 a vacuum compartment, means for simultaneously delivering a canand its cap to said individual can receiving members of the turret,means for receiving the can within said members to lower and raise thecan, means for driving the turret to bring'can receiving members and acan carried'thereby into successive register with the opening throughthe floor o! the vacuum chamber, and means operating in synchronism toraise said can through the opening into operative relation tothe seaminghead, maintain the can in said position during the seaming operation,and retract the can into the can receiving member after which the turretadvances to a new position.

14. A machine for double seaming cans in vacuum which comprises a vacuumchamber, the

.1100! of said chamber being formed with a can receiving opening, aseaming head within said chamber, a turret below said floor and havingan upper wall in continuous surface contact with the under-face of saidfloor whereby to maintain a vacuum seal between said contacting races,said turret being formed with a can receiving pocket opened at its upperend and adapted to be moved to a point oi register with the opening inthe floor of the vacuum chamber, means for moving said turret to andfrom a point of register with the can receiving pocket and the openingin the floor oi the vacuum chamber while maintaining the contiguousraces of said floor and turret in continuous contact whereby the vacuumwithin the vacuum chamber is maintained, means within said can receivingpocket to lower a can into said pocket and to raise it to an operativeposi tion with relation to the seeming head when the can receivingmember and the opening in the pocket, are in register, and to thenretract the can through the opening in said floor at the conclusion ofsaid seaming operation, and driving means operating in synchronismtointermittently move the can receiving member of the turret to and mmthe seaming station, means operating in synchronism therewith tointermittently move the can lifting and retracting means, and

means for operating the seaming head when a,

can has been operatively disposed relative thereto.

HENRY L. GUENTHER.

